Seal



Spt. 4, 1923. I 1,466,815

- J. L. DINSMOOR semi Filed Juhe 10. 1921 61 Home Patented seat. 4, 1923,

near stares JOHN L. DINSMOOR, OF BROOKLYN, NEW'YOBK, ASSIG-NOB LO ANCHOR CAP AND e rse;

CLOSURE CGRIPClula'IIOhl' OF LONG ISLAND CITY, NEW'YORK, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

SEAL.

Application filed June 10, 1921. Serial No. 476,389.

To all whom it may concern: A

Be it known that LJornr L.. DINSMOOR, a citizen of the United States, and a resident'of the borough of Brooklynyin vthe county of Kings, Stateof New Yorl'nhave invented new and useful Improvements in Seals, of which the following is a specification.-

The present invention relates to seals and more specially to a seal-of the shackle type.

The principal object of thepresent invention is to provide a seal of a simple construction andadapted to be used with afseparate shackle whereby the length oftheshackle fis independent of the seal.

A further object of the present invention is a seal formed substantially of'a. housing of pressed metal wherein no springs are utilizedinthe sealing 0peIfii11011,Wl11Cl1 is.

performed by mechanically deforming'the internal construction of the seal.

A still further object of the present invention isa seal of the character specified and wherein the sealing operation comprises deforming of a ductile member within the seal housing which deformation locks the,

- shackle within the housing.

Another and important objectof the present invention is a seal of the character specified comprising. an integralhousing w thin which shackle members are adapted to be twisted upon themselves andlocked w1th1n i the housing in such manner that the twisted r of the housing. I V I More specifically an ob 'ectof the present invention is the productionof a seal comportion is not accessible from the exterior prising a closed sheetfmetal housing; with a shackle adapted 'togbe inserted within the housing and a ductile plate withinthe hous ,ing" which wraps aroundithe ends of the shackle when the ,said ends are twisted.

A stillfur therand-more specific object of the presentinvention is aseal of thecharacter specified and whereinthe ends of the shackle extend beyond theseal housing and adapted to be operated upon by a. sealing tool whereby the ends. are twisted upon themselves which causes-the'shackle, to sengage a ductile plate within the housing so that the plate is wrapped around the end ofthe'shackle and t-hetwisted operation is V plete' device. 7 r v i If gure 3' is asectional view illustrating naterial fbef reQthe seal-is made. r I .Figure fi, illustrates a modified form off continued until the ends of the shacl'rle extending beyond the housing arebrol'renawayi Another object of the present invention is a seal of the character specified comprising a sheetfmetal housing with thewalls'thereof spaced apart and a ductile metal d-isk'loosely mounted in the housing which has shackle invention will in part be obvious and will 4 in part be pointed out hereinafter by reference to the accompanying drawings in which like parts arerepresented by like characters throughout the several figures thereof.

Realizing that the present invention may be embodied. in constructions other than those specifically herein disclosed it is desired that the disclosure shall beunderstood as illustrative and not in the limiting sense,

Figure l is a view'showing' aiblank adaptcd'to be folded upon itself toform the housi r ing and also illustrating a ductile member adapted to be enclosed 1n the hous n Figure 2 1s a a shackle inserted on feachfside of the disk, Figure 4 illustrates the sealing tool. {F gure 5 shows the sealing tool inpositionon'the ends of the shackle. p i V F gure (S s a sectional view showing -howthe ductile disk rolls upon liSGlf when the seal is'fcomplet'ed.

Fgure 7 illustrates shackle material and ;w-ithfout 'cutting seal in 'whichVno-disk is used perspective View of the corn- 7 I the mannerinawhich the seal' may be usedf'withfa supplyfof the a i Figure Q sasectional view showing the portion of the device illustrated in'F-i'gure Heretofore in the art of shackle seals the most customary seals have been those wherein the shackle was of a definite length with recesses or tongues cut in the end of the shackle in order that these portions might engage suitable locking springs on the exterior of the seal housing. These types of spring lock seals are expensive to manufacture and assemble and the spring parts are liable to become dislocated during handling or shipping of the seals. Furthermore the length of the shackle is necessarily predetermined and therefore must be proportioned to be the right length for a particular use. Where the seal is intended for other uses, difierent length shackles must be provided. This is annoying and the various lengths of shackles are not usually at hand when desired. Furthermore devices of this kind afford an opportunity for pulling the parts from the housing in order to break the seal then reinserting the end of the shackle into the housing so that the seal appears to be unbroken from the exterior.

One of the oldest types of seals is the lead seal wherein a water or button of pliable material is slipped over the shackle which must be crinkled or roughened and then the wafer is deformed by considerable pressure to smash the button around the shackle.

This type of seal requires very heavy sealing tools and considerable strength to operate the tools. Furthermore 'a relatively large amount of metal is required for the button and hence the seals in large numbers are expensive. Since seals are adapted for use but once and then are destroyed, cost, is a primary element in commercial use.

The present invention overcomes the diliiculties of the known art by providing seals adaptable for manufacture trom sheet metal and wherein the sealing shackle is separate and independent from the seals and may comprise a plain flat piece of metal of any length desired. Furthermore the seal may be slipped over the shackle withoutsevering the shackle from the supply so that exactly the right amountof shackle may be used without waste for sealing withoutregard toauunber or size of packages.

The invention may be embodied in several tor-n1 but prcterably comprises a housing having enl'rancc" openingsto guide" the shacklepinto the housing from each side thereof and to direct the ends of theshackle toward a common outlet opening so that the ends lie side by side. These ends "are adapted tobe grasped by a suitable tool which 'twi'sts the ends upon themselves until the; ends are broken away. The twisting action extends backinto the housing b ut the break ing always occurs'adjacent the tool which is atthe out-let opening. This produces a result wherein the ends of'the shackle are twisted within the housingitself so that these ends are inaccessible. Means are provided so that the housing may not be slipped back upon the shackle to permit the untwistingot the ends by unauthorized persons. In one form-this stop means comprise a ductile member mounted within the housing in such manner as to lie between the ends of the shackle when these ends are inserted in the housing so that the twisting operation causes the member to wrap around the t visted parts. Another way of accomplishing this same result is to provide a shackle which is relatively wide and which is nar row at the ends to provide shoulders which are of a width too great to enter into the housing. These shoulders are shoved against the side wall of the housing and then the narrow ends of the 'siiackle are invention the housing may comprise a unitary structure of tin substantially of an hour-glass shaped body flange 1.0n' one end and a flange 2 on the other end with a backing t'from'which the flanges are turned. The back t isprovidedlwith an outlet opening Sand with a pair of outlet openings 6 and 7. it ductile disk 8' is adapted to be dropped into one of the flange'sections'then the metal is folded on-itself so thatthe portion adjacent the opening 5 becomes an end too wall and the flanges 1 and 2 are telescoped.

The edge of the flange 2 is'rolled over the Iflange 1 as at 9 and securely seated in positionto form thecomplete seal housing A;

This last operation is 'performed in a large machine so that it would be substantially impossible, or at l'e'astvery difficult to pry open the seal and thenreset the same without leaving obvioustraces' onthe flange 9.

' The shackle B which may comprise a flat wire is adapted to have theends inserted through the inlet openings 6 and? respectively at which time theseends will pass on each side of the ductile disk 8 and the ends will pass out of the outlet opening 5 with the sides-of the wire 'parallel. I The sealing tool 10 is provided with" a seal or notch 12 adapted to fit over the ends-11 of the shackle B. This tool is moved closeup "to the opening 5 and is turned "around on the axls of the shackle ends in such manner as to twist the shackle within .thehousing. The, twisting action wraps the disk'8 around the sealin g wires which are twisted upon themselves. This produces a relatively complex bunch of material within the housing and thus securely'locks the shackle in place so that the ends'can neither be withdrawn or pushed out of the housin The outlet opening 5 is relatively small as compared to, the twisted upmass so that it is substantially impossible, to reachthe mass through the opening: with any instrument that wouldpermit untwist in oi the parts.

Tigures 8 and9 illustratea modified form of the invention wherein the. ductile member is omitted and theshackleC is a relatively wide sheet of metal and is provided at the ends with shoulder portions 14 which are adjacent a reduced end 15. The ends ofv the shackle extend through the housing and lie parallel as at 16 so as to be capable of being twisted by the sealing tool to form the' twisted mass 17, Figure 9. This twisted mass prevents the shackle from being withdrawn "from the housing and the shoulders 15 prevent the shackle from being pushed through the housing so that the parts are securely locked together. The device described in the foregoing is a seal of exceeding simplicity and great security which may be manufactured at a relatively small cost.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. A seal comprising a hollow housing, said housing having an inlet opening and an outlet opening, a shackle, and means within said housing to guide the ends of the shackle from said inlet opening to said outlet opening, said means being'so constructed as to entangle the ends of the shackle when the said shackle is twisted within the said housing.

2. A seal comprising a fiat hollow housing, said housing having inlet openings on the sides and an outlet opening on an edge, a shackle, and means within said housing to guide the ends of the shackle from said inlet opening to said outlet opening, said means being so constructed as to entangle the ends of the shackle when the said shackle is twisted within the said housing.

3. A seal comprising a hollow housing, said housing having an inlet opening and an outlet opening, a shackle, and means comprising a fiat sheet member within said housing to guide the ends of the shackle from said inlet opening to said outlet .open- 1 ing, said means being so constructed as to entangle the ends of the shackle when the said shackle is twisted within the said hous- 111 Z. A seal comprising a hollow housing made from a single piece, said housing having an inlet opening and an outlet opening, a shackle, and means within said housing to guide the ends ofjthe shackle from said inlet opening to said outlet opening, said means being so constructed as to entangle the ends of the shackle when the said shackle is twisted within the said housing to'prevent movement of the shackle relatively to the housing when the seal is made.

5. A seal comprising a. flathollow housing, said housing having inlet openings on the sides and an outlet opening on an edge,

a shackle, and means comprising a fiat sheet member within, said housing to guide the ends of the shackle from said inlet opening to said outlet opening, said means'beingso constructed as tojentangle the-ends of the shackle when the said shackle is twisted within the said. housing. I 7 c.

6. A seal comprising a flat hollow hous ing made from a single piece, said housing having inletiopenings on" the sides and an.

outlet; opening'on an edge, a shackle, and

means-withinsaid housing to guide the ends of the shackle from said inlet opening to said outlet opening, said means being so constructed as to entangle the ends of the shackle when the said shackle is twisted within the said housing to prevent movement of the shackle relatively to the housin when the seal is made.

. In a seal, the combination of a hollow housing having substantially flat sides, said flat sides being provided with inlet openings, an outlet opening provided in one.

ends of the shackle are twisted within said,

housing. v

9. In a seal, the combination of a hollow housing having substantially flat sides, said fiat sides being provided with inlet openings, an outlet opening provided in one side wall of said housing, a shackle, and means adapted to be deformed to prevent movement of said shackle relatively to said housing when the ends of the shackle are twisted within said housing.

' 10. In a seal, the combination of a hollow housing'having substantially fiat sides, said flat sides being provided with inlet openings adjacent one edge, an outlet opening 7 provided in one side wall of said housing, and opposite to the inlet openings, a shackle, and means adapted to be deformed to prevent movement of said shackle relatively to said housing when theends of the shackle are twisted within said housing.

formedof a. single piece of sheet metal, a duct le member. within said housing a shackle, means to guide said shackle on each side of said ductile member, whereby -'said ductile member is entangled with said 11. A seal comprismg a hollow housing shackle when said shackle twisted within said housing.

12. As an article of manufacture, a seal comprising a hollow housing formed of a single piece of sheet metal, a ductile member within said housingymeans to guide a shackle on each sidev of said ductile member, whereby said ductile member is adapted to be entangled with said shackle when said shackle is twisted within said housing".

13. A seal comprising a hollow housing formed of a single piece of sheet metal, a ductile member loosely mounted within said housing, a shackle, means to guide said 14. As an article of manufacture, a seal comprising a hollow housing formed of a singlepieceof sheet metal, a ductile member loosely mounted within said housing means to guide a shackle on each "side of said ductile member,-whereby said; ductile member is adapted to be entangled with said shackle when said shackle is twisted 7 within said housing.-

JOHN L. V DINSMOOR, 

